Permutation-lock.



No. 637,688. r Patented Nov. 21,1899.

. A. s. WINSTON.

PERMUTATION- LOCK.

(Application filed Sopt. 22. 1899 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

m H w 3o Wilgesses ya 5. 57362070, 1902131619,

W I 7/, U.

m: beams PETERS so, WWW. wnsumumu, u. c.

No. 637,688. Patented N ov. 2| I899. A. s. WINSTON.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

Application filed Sept. 22, 1899."

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

12) 79:15 Jlll'em egs,

f M% I U.

NIT-ED STATES ARTHUR S. \VINSTON, OF COVINGTON, TENNESSEE.

PATENT OFFICE.

PERM UTATION LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,688, dated November 21, 1899 Application filed September'ZZ, 1899- Serial No. 731,282. (No model.)

To otZZ whom it may concern! I Be it known that I, ARTHUR S. WINSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Covington, in the county of Tipton and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Permutation-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in permutation-locks adapted to be constructed for use either as a door-lock or as a padlock. The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction dispensing with the use of a key and depending entirely for, its operation on the adjustment of a plurality of tumblers into certain positions in order to release the locking-bolt, said tumblers arranged in sets and operable in such manner that they-contribute to the security of the lock.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a permutation-lock applied to a portion of a door. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the lock shown by Fig. 1, disclosing the interior operating mechanism thereof and representing the bolt in its shot or projected position. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a padlock constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation of the lock shown by Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an edge view of a door with the lock shown by Figs. 1 and 2 applied to said door and illustrating the arrangement of the spindles by which the tumbler-rods and the locking-bolt may be actuated from either side of the door.

Like numerals of reference are used to indioate like and corresponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

I will first proceed to describe the door-lock shown by Figs. 1 and 2, in which the numeral 10 indicates the casing, which is of generally rectangular form, althoughthe shape ot the casing is not material. Within this casing is supported a slidable bolt 11, one end portion of which is adapted to be extended through a slot 12 when the bolt is shot. The bolt is confined or limited to slidable movement within the casing by and between the parallel guides 13, said guides arranged in horizontal positions above and below the boltslot. The upper guide is preferably continuous, but the lower guide is divided or interrupted, so as to receive the series of teeth constituting a rack on the lower edge of the bolt. The guides are provided at intervals with transverse openings 14, (see Fig. 2,) and in the bolt is a series of tumbler-passages 15, which when the bolt is shot or projected coincide. or register with the apertures 14 in the guides. The gear-teeth on the lower edge of the bolt form the rack 16, and this bolt is operated through the medium of a spindle 17, the latter having a spur-gear 18 made fast therewith in a position to engage with the bolt-rack, whereby the rotation of the spindle in one direction will operate to project the bolt and a reverse rotation of the spindle will retract the bolt. This spindle passes through the lock-casing below the bolt, and it is also designed to pass through the door, so that its ends may be provided. with knobs 19 on the inside and outside of the door.

21 22 23 24 designate the tumbler-operating spindles, each of which is actuated separately from every other spindle, each spindle being designed t9 operate a pair of slid-able tumbler-rods. The spindles 21 22 pass transversely through the casing, near the ends thereof andabove the horizontal plane of the locki n g-bolt. are disposed in the casing below the bolt 11 and near the ends of said casing, said lastnamed spindles being arranged, preferably, in the vertical planes of the spindles which lie above the bolt. Each of the series of individually operable spindles passes entirely through the casing and the door, so that it may be provided with a knob 26 at each end,

which permits the spindle to be manipulated either from the outside or the inside of the door. Each spindle is also provided with an index or pointer 25, the same being secured in a radial position on the spindle, so as to traverse the graduations of a dial-plate 26, which may be fastened to the casing or to the door and which is arranged concentric with the spindle. The pointers or indices 25 on the series of individually-operable spindles are set or arranged in different positions with relation to the tumbler-rods whichare associated with said spindles, so that the tumbler-rods of each spindle will be freed from the locking-bolt only when the pointer indicates a number on the dial difierent from the numbers indicated by the pointers on the dials associated with the remaining spindles The remaining spindles 23 24:.

a in the bolt.

of the series; Each spindle carriesa spurspindle. Combined with the spur gear of each spindle is'a pair of slidable tumbler-rods 28 29, which are disposed on opposite sides a of the spindle and its'spur-gear and in posi tions substantially at right angles tothe lock: ing-bolt. The tumbler-rods of each pair are provided on their opposing faces or edges with gearteeth forming the racks 30, with which the spur-gearpi'nion of the spindle is arranged to mesh, whereby the tumbler-rods will be actuated simultaneously in opposite direcftions on the rotation of the gear and its spin v dle. It is evident that in one position'ofthe spindle andlgear both of the tum bler-rodswill be-moved toposit'ionsfree from the tumbler.

passagesin the bolt, and in these positions of I the parts the pointer will register with the J proper number on the'dial-plate. This'applies to the pairs .of tumbler-rodsassociated with. the several spindles; but the pointers onthespindles should be arranged to register with 1 different numbers on the dials in order to casing in positions at right angles to the guides 13and contiguous to the slots 14 therein, so

4 that the inner ends of the tumbler-rods will dle, 21 to turn the pointer opposite the proper. number .on the dial to move the spur-gear27, which operates to withdraw the inner ends of I normally fit'in'the openings 14, whereby the" bolt-guides 13 coact with the rod-guides 31 to assist in hold-ingthe tumbler-rods in proper f operative relation to the spur-gear and the bolt. I a

r In the operation of the lock, assuming that the bolt is projected or shot and that the several pairs of tumbler-rods are engaged with .the bolt, the operator manipulates the spin- ;the pair of tu mbler-rods from the passages 15 I register with the proper.numbers on their dials, so that allthe pairs of the tumbler-rods will be retracted from the bolt, after which,

' the bolt-adjusting spindle 17 may be, turned .7 these-rods are not free from the bolt until the 6o pointer-reaches the proper index on the dial,

-whereby the spindle may be manipulated without releasing the bolt until the proper number is reached,-so that the pair of oppositely-movable tumbler-rods contribute to the security of the lock;

The permutation mechanism as herein described may be embodied in a padlock, as

The tumbler-rods associated with each gear and spindle are confined slidably by guides 31, fixed within the Each-of the remaining spindles 22,23, and -24 are turned for. the pointers to ceases re resented by Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. This'pad'lock'has a casing 32, the major portion of. which is preferably formed of cast metal. In the upper edge of the casing is a semicircular recess33, andflin one edge of the casing is a slot 34, said slot being closedon 'itsinner Side and ends by a wall 34*,having a slot35 to receive the shackle. This shackle sis or may be arched, so that the shackle 36 "may have'its arched portion register with the recess 33. One end of the shackleis, formed witha cylindrical stem 37, adapted topass :through an opening in the'case,-theinner end of said stembeing formed. with a head38, which limits the outward movement of the shackle when it is withdrawn in orderto disengage it from the bolt. This shackle his, furthermore, provided with an extension-arm 39, which is hinged orpivotally connected at 40 to the free'po'rtion of the arched shackle, the extension arm adapted to be fitted in the *slot34, so that it may pass throughthe opening.35 and enter thecasing for an opening in said extension-arm to lie in the path of the locking-bolt 41.. This locking-bolt'hasa knob 42, arranged to pass through and to playina slot 43,- provided in the casing. The .knob maybe moved'horizontally to adjust thebolt ineither direction, andwh'en the bolt is moved to the left in Fig. 4 it will enter theopening in the extension-armof the shackle, thereby confining the shacklein its locked position. With the slidable bolt is associated the guides 13to'direct the endwise travel of said bolt. The series of tumbler-operating spindles .21 to 24, inclusive, are supported in 'thefouter casing in the same manner and in the same relation to the bolt asin-the construction shown by Fig. 2, andwith each spindle is as- Qsociated the pair of rack-formed tumblerrods-28 29, which are slidably confined by the guides 31. The permutation mechanism of the padlock is substantially the same as in the door-lock, and themode of manipulating this mechanism is similar in both types of lock.= It isevident that the retraction of the bolt from the opening of the'extension-arm .39 vreleases the shackle, so that it maybe withdrawn until the head 38 of the stem abuts against the lock casing, at which time the free endlof the extension-armis withdrawn from the casing andinto the slot 34 thereof, thus permitting the extensionarm to be turned on its pivot 40, so as to clear the casing and facilitatetheadj ustment of thefshackle in disengaging it from the object which is securedby the lock.

. From "the. foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be perceived that I. have provided aipermutatione lock which whollydispenses with the use of a key',so that the loss of the" key does,'not .render the lock useless. The lock .can be opened onlybya personsnpplied with the combination. necessary to the proper adj ustm entofLthe spindles for disengaging the tumbler-rodsfrom the bolt, and the employment of the series of spindles adds to the security of the lock, although the exact number of spindles shown may be varied. Owing to the simplicity of construction the lock may be manufactured and sold quite cheaply and the number of parts being reduced to a minimum the lock is not liable to get out of order.

The padlock shown by Figs. 3 and 4 has its operating elements housed or contained within a casing which protects said elements from the admission of rain or snow, so that the parts will not corrode and become inoperative. The hinged extension-arm on the unconfined end of the shackle is an advantageous feature of the padlock, because it permits the shackle to be manipulated in a manner to fatcilitate disengagement from the hasp.

Changes may be made in the form and pro-. portion of some of the parts, while their essential features are retained and the spirit of the invention embodied. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

In the door-lock shown by Figs. 1 and2 it is evident that the combination can be changed within very wide limits and in an expeditious manner. The lock can be opened to enable access to be had to the interior thereof, the rod or rods of one or more of the spindles can be detached, and then one or more of the spindles can be turned as desired to change the position of the index to the scale,and thus vary the combination, after which the rods may be replaced and the lock again closed.

It is to be observed that in each embodiment of my invention the tumbler-rods constitute locking elements arranged for movement in paths at right angles to the bolt and that the locking elements are grouped in pairs, so as to be movable in opposite directions simultaneously.

One of the peculiar features of my lock consists in so arranging the oppositely-movable locking elements that they will in one position be both free from the locking-bolt; but a slight movement in either direction of the actuating device or spindle serves to shift the positions of the locking elements, so that one of them will be projected into locking engagement with the bolt, thereby promoting the efficiency of the lock.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In a perm utation-lock, the combination with a slidable bolt, and means for adjusting said bolt, of a series of individually-operable spindles each having an index associated therewith, and a pair of tumbler-rods connected operatively with each spindle and movable simultaneously thereby in opposite directions int-o operative relation with the locking-bolt, substantially as described.

2. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a slidable bolt, guides therefor and means for manually adjusting the bolt endwise, of a series of individually-operable spindles, a pair of oppositelymovable rackformed tumbler-rods contiguous to each spindle, a gear-pinion on each spindle meshing with the tumbler-rods and adapted to project the same into or from engagement with the bolt, guides which confine the tumblerrods to slidable movement in paths at right angles to the bolt, dial-plates concentric with each spindle, and pointers carried by the spindles, the pointers on the several spindles arranged to register with differentindex characters on the dials in withdrawing the pairs of tumbler-rods from the bolt, substantially as described.

3. In a permutation'lock, the combination of a bolt having the transverse tumbler-passages, means for adjusting said belt, a series of individ ually-operable spindles each having a gear-pinion and an index, a pair of rackformed tumbler-slides disposed on opposite sides of each spindle and its gear and arranged to enter the passages in said bolt, and means for confining each pair of tumbler-rods in slidable relation to the gear and to the bolt, substantially as described.

4. A permutation padlock comprising a casing having a shackle-receiving slot, 34, the shackle confined slidably on the casing, an extension-arm pivoted to the unconfined end of the shackle and adapted to pass through the slot in the casing, a bolt, tumbler-rods slidably confined with relation to the bolt,

and spindles geared to said tumbler-rods, substantially as described.

5. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a locking-bolt, of a group of oppositelymovable locking elements, and an actuating device common to said locking elements and connected therewith to make all the elements, in one position thereof, free from said bolt, said actuating device and the locking elements arranged for a movement of the actuating device in either direction to shift at least one locking element into interlocking engagement with the bolt, substantially as described.

6. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a locking-bolt, of a pair of locking elements, and an actuating-spindle common to and connected operatively with said locking elements to shift the latter simultaneously in opposite directions, said locking elements being so related to the spindle as to be simultaneously retracted thereby from engagement with the bolt and also adapted on a movement of the spindle in either direction to be shifted in directions for at least one locking element to have interlocking engagement with the bolt, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR S. WINSTON.

Witnesses:

O. P. SIMONTON, J. N. BIDDLE. 

